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Data-Armed Lawyers And Paralegals: A Decisive Edge In The Race To The Top

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Data-armed lawyers and paralegals: a decisive edge in the race to the top

Data has transformed every industry it has touched, from finance to advertising to the internet. The insights gleaned from massive swaths of information is a formidable edge, and those who were early to see data’s potential in those industries quickly rose to the top. The next technology revolution in the legal industry is data and analytics, and associates and paralegals with an eye on the future are equipping themselves for success.

More information, better information, faster

So much of the practice of law is based on information—the statutes, the recent rulings, a judge’s tendencies. A data-gathering research solution such as Thomson Reuters Westlaw Edge™ uses trained artificial intelligence (AI) to search, disseminate and communicate crucial information at lightning speeds.

Imagine having vetted, well-organized and up-to-date information about a given legal topic at your fingertips. Imagine not having this information and facing opposing counsel that does. Thomson Reuters Westlaw® Litigation Analytics streamlines key case preparation tasks, pinpointing crucial legal documents in response to user searches. The divide between those who harness this research power versus those who do not is widening and will never close.

Of course, the data must be trusted to make an impact in the practice of law. If associates and paralegals wish to gain an edge over their peers, they must operate with confidence, certain that the data they gather and use is current and authoritative. Anything less will only result in lost trust among colleagues, clients and law firm leaders. Westlaw Edge uses data trained by hundreds of leading attorney editors and built upon a foundation of more than 140 years of editorial annotations. Users can trust the answers it provides.

AI takes the time out of data gathering

The time sink of traditional data gathering is one reason there’s a high risk of burnout for associates and paralegals. The grind of traditional research, day after day, sifting through volumes of documents just to find that one useful nugget of information takes its toll. AI slices chunks of time off those tasks, leaving legal professionals more time for big-picture thinking, and maybe even free time on the evenings and weekends.

Data gathering made easy

Attorneys and paralegals who are experts in their fields don’t have to become data engineers to benefit from this technology. Westlaw Edge is easy to learn and use. Learn more about how Westlaw Edge can give your career—and maybe even your life—a boost.